Former UNLV quarterback has vision to help ex-Rebels

Despite having been a starting quarterback for UNLV and having absorbed more than an occasional shot to the helmet, Steve Stallworth vividly remembers when his Rebels predecessor Randall Cunningham was part of something called the Quarterback Club.

In the 1990s, Cunningham and 11 other elite NFL quarterbacks formed a group that controlled their own marketing deals.

Stallworth wants to create a similar organization for former UNLV quarterbacks, many of whom still reside in Las Vegas. But he said it won’t be about trading cards and merchandising or, considering they once played for the Rebels, comparing bumps and bruises.

“Years ago when Randall Cunningham was in the QBC, I always thought what a cool thing, we should create one for our former UNLV quarterbacks,” said Stallworth, whose task it was to fill Cunningham’s huge cleats after he moved on to the Philadelphia Eagles.

“A great networking thing, but more importantly, I think it would be a resource for the university and the football coaches to kind of mentor some of these young quarterbacks and kind of help them after their playing days are over. That would be the vision for it.”

Stallworth, who engineered UNLV’s 17-7 upset of Wisconsin in 1986, began rattling off names of former UNLV quarterbacks who have prospered after their playing days — Bill Casey, Sam King, Larry Gentry, Caleb Herring, Bobby Stockham and, of course, Cunningham — “so many guys” who could be a positive influence.

One was sitting next to him waiting to tee off in a member-guest golf outing at Canyon Gate Country Club.

Today, Derek Stott is better known as the father of Philadelphia Phillies’ 2021 Minor League Player of the Year Bryson Stott (and UNLV cheerleader Breauna). But Derek Stott also was the Rebels’ starting quarterbacks for three seasons during the early 1990s.

When asked about his favorite playing days memory, Stott said it was holding a clipboard as a backup redshirt freshman when the Rebels lost 48-6 at Nebraska in 1988.

“Standing on the sidelines, and I had the clipboard and just seeing the fans and seeing the (sold-out) stadium and this just amazing thing — because I hadn’t seen it here, obviously,” said Stott, whose nephew, Tyler, threw seven touchdown passes for Desert Oasis High on Friday night.

“They beat us pretty bad, obviously. But as we were walking out the tunnel, people were standing and clapping for us.

“It was one of my favorite times, just because of that.”

Stanton activated by Browns

Speaking of former UNLV quarterbacks, Johnny Stanton has been promoted from the Cleveland Browns’ practice roster to their active roster.

Although Stanton is a fullback now, my guess is that he still can be in the UNLV Quarterback Club.

Around the horn

■ Todd Richards, the former Las Vegas Thunder all-star defenseman — and Minnesota Wild and Columbus Blue Jackets coach — is back on the ice as a Nashville Predators assistant after suffering a heart attack Oct 1.

■ Colleague Adam Hill, after a puck the Golden Knights’ Chandler Stephenson directed into the net for the winning goal with his skate in Tuesday night’s season opener was allowed to stand: “Seattle should just pick up the puck and throw it in. There are no rules tonight!”

■ It’s not exactly a Bishop Gorman-to-Michigan State pipeline, but after Jalen Nailor torched Rutgers for three long TD receptions last week, I received an email asking if I remember Blake Ezor. Sure do. The former Gorman star rushed for nearly 4,000 career yards at Michigan State before playing nine games for the Denver Broncos in 1990.

0:01

Of all the words written about Alabama’s stunning loss to Texas A&M, this revelation by former Review-Journal colleague Elaine Emerson, who had become a mother only days before, resonates most:

“My son has never seen Alabama win a football game.”

Contact Ron Kantowski at rkantowski@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0352. Follow @ronkantowski on Twitter.